This started as a simple search for the most flattering jeans and somewhat accidentally spiraled into a full-blown research project. I ultimately ordered and tried on 36 pairs of jeans (and returned 32 of them) in search of the best-fitting jeans for my body type (I’m 5’1″ with hips and a midsection that’s carried four babies, so comfortable stretch denim for everyday wear is essential).
After trying so many different styles, I decided to review all 36 pairs and turn the process into what I hope will be a helpful denim guide for anyone searching for their own perfect pair of jeans. Out of the 36 pairs I tried, 10 made it into my maybe pile, and of those I wound up keeping 4. You’ll find my rationale as well as rise, inseam, and leg opening measurements for each pair below!
The best women’s jeans in 2026
A few notes on personal style preferences before we dive in: I was ready to part with the pre-baby skinny jeans taking up most of the drawer space in my closet, so for this denim try-on I focused primarily on bootcut jeans, kick flare jeans, straight leg jeans, and wide leg jeans.
Because I personally prefer a slightly cropped style that’s easy to wear with flats, I’ve noted any pairs I would need to hem in order to make them ideal for everyday wear. I’ve also included the rise (for anyone who strongly prefers either high rise or mid rise) and the inseam for those with the long legs I wish I had. 🙂
One detail that surprised me during this process was how helpful leg opening measurements were in predicting which styles I would find most flattering on me. Terms like “bootcut jeans” or “straight leg” can vary significantly from brand to brand, but the leg opening that looked best on me ended up being a lot more consistent than the style names used in product descriptions. You could easily look up the leg opening measurement for a pair of jeans you already know you love and use that measurement to order similar pairs — just an idea to help you hone in on your own perfect fit!
The 4 most flattering pairs of jeans I’m keeping
1. MOTHER Petites Lil’ Hustler Jeans
My new favorite everyday jeans, in the perfect kick flare for petites (specifically designed for women 5’4″ and under). Regular (not petite) version available here!
10 5/8″ rise
25 1/2″ inseam
16 1/4″ leg opening
2. Veronica Beard Carson Kick-Flare Jeans
An exaggerated kick flare silhouette intended to hit at the ankle that hit floor-length for me (at 5’1″, I’m having mine hemmed by a couple inches).
11″ rise
28″ inseam
19″ leg opening
3. PISTOLA Penny Petite Jeans
The most flattering wide leg crop jeans for petites, with no front pockets for an extra sleek waistline. Regular (not petite) version available here!
11.5″ rise
24″ inseam
19.75″ leg opening
4. FAVORITE DAUGHTER Erin Crop Boot Jeans
The fourth and final pair I decided to keep — similar fit to the MOTHER pair above but with a slightly longer inseam (at 5’1″, I’m having mine hemmed ever so slightly).
10″ rise
26″ inseam
15.75″ leg opening
6 more pairs of jeans I also liked
5. PISTOLA Lennon High Waist Ankle Bootcut Jeans
Liked the fit and wash of these and find this brand very flattering in general. I would describe this style as more of a kick flare than a bootcut based on the leg opening.
11″ rise
27″ inseam
17″ leg opening
6. PAIGE Marlow Skimmer Stretch Crop Flare Jeans
Extremely flattering flare silhouette. The 30″ inseam makes them less cropped than the name suggests — I plan to revisit these in the fall when I’m more likely to wear jeans with a heel or boot.
11″ rise
30″ inseam
23″ leg opening
7. MADEWELL The Short Stretch Flare Crop Jeans
A flattering kick flare cut at a great price point. I ordered true to size and am going to try sizing down for a better fit through the leg.
9.75″ rise
24.75″ inseam
15.75″ leg opening
8. PAIGE Anessa Raw Cuff Jeans
I loved the fit and super stretch of these but this particular wash was a little too distressed for my liking.
11″ rise
26.5″ inseam
21.25″ leg opening
9. FRAME Le Slim Palazzo Jeans
A really flattering wide leg that’s really just cut for someone on the taller side.
10.75″ rise
30.25″ inseam
21.25″ leg opening
10. AYR The Secret Sauce
I adore this brand and find their pieces both flattering and comfortable, but this particular style was just a little too much fabric on me at 5’1″, even in the shorter inseam. If you’re 5’4″ or taller, I would definitely give these a try!
11″ rise
29.5″ short inseam
20″ leg opening
26 OTHER PAIRS OF JEANS THAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME
Trying on this many pairs of jeans ended up being surprisingly helpful in figuring out which denim styles I find the most flattering jeans on my body type (cropped kick flare jeans, a cropped wide-leg jean, and possibly a longer true flare to wear with heels and boots come fall, all with just the right amount of stretch for comfortable everyday wear without stretching out too much over the course of the day). None of the styles below are inherently bad — they just weren’t the best fit for me personally as someone of petite size who evidently can’t stand a rigid feel or button fly. 🙂
Many of these jeans may still work beautifully for someone taller, with a different body type, or who prefers a different cut or feel for different occasions. I’ve included my notes on each pair below in case they’re helpful as you search with your own style preference in mind!
Regular length versions of 2 petite pairs I kept
11. Mother The Hustler Ankle Jeans
Only a “no” for me because I kept the petite version of this exact pair and wash. I would absolutely order these if you’re taller than 5’4″ — the cut is much more flattering than the styling on the website would suggest!
12. Pistola Penny Crop Jeans
Again only a “no” because I kept the petite version of this exact pair and wash. I would order this length if you’re taller than 5’4″ (though the frayed hem means you could cut them yourself easily enough if need be) — these are by far the most flattering pair of wide leg jeans I’ve found.
Straight leg jeans I tried
Straight leg jeans are everywhere right now, so I tried quite a few pairs in this category. While many of these were beautifully cut, I learned that a super straight silhouette is simply not my favorite or the most flattering for my body type. The leg falling straight down from my hips made my legs look wider than they are, and my general takeaway here is I’ll settle for admiring straight leg jeans on taller women or those with more narrow hips (or those who simply have a different fit preference from mine!).
13. PAIGE Cindy High Waist Ankle Straight Leg Jeans
Much preferred the fit of the two Paige pairs listed above. The 14” leg opening makes these a very slim-cut straight leg, especially since I’d have to have them hemmed higher up.
14. MOTHER Lil Kick It High Waist Straight Leg Jeans
Petite jeans cut for those 5’4” and under. I find Mother jeans very flattering in general, but I think this straight cut would be more flattering on someone with more narrow hips.
15. MOTHER The Newbie High Waist Crop Straight Leg Jeans
I find this straight-up-and-down cut challenging on me as a petite and at 5’1”, I still would have had to have these hemmed.
16. PAIGE Cindy High Waist Ankle Straight Leg Jeans
Didn’t realize I ordered the same style in two different washes but same note applies here — much preferred the fit of the first two Paige pairs listed above. The 14” leg opening makes these a very slim-cut straight leg, especially since I’d have to have them hemmed higher up.
17. DL1961 Mara Mid Rise Ankle Straight Leg Jeans
A very narrow leg opening that makes these more skinny than straight leg. And maybe this was just the pair I received but the button closure was impossibly difficult to open/fasten on these!
18. MOTHER The Mid Rise Rambler Zip Ankle Jeans
These are more flattering than the way they’re styled here, but much too long on me at 5’1”. If you’re taller and prefer a straight leg, these could be a great option.
19. FAVORITE DAUGHTER The Dot Mid Rise Straight Ankle Jeans
Will definitely be paying attention to this brand for future denim purchases as I love the fourth pair on this list, but this particular cut was too straight and not stretchy enough for my liking.
Bootcut and flare jeans I tried
Since I was hoping to replace my dated skinny jeans with something slightly more balanced and less tapered, I ordered quite a few bootcut and kick flare styles. Many of these had potential, but a few were simply too long for my height or didn’t flare quite enough at the leg opening to create the shape I find most flattering.
20. MOTHER Lil’ Weekend Flare Jeans
Cut for petites (5’4” and under) but still long on me at 5’1” and not flared enough to be flattering with a heel or boot.
21. DL1961 Bridget Boot High Rise Crop Jeans
I didn’t care for the very “flat” blue wash on these, and found the button closure very hard to open/fasten on the pair I received.
22. DL1961 Bridget Boot Crop Jeans
Too long to be cropped on me at 5’1” and not flared enough to be flattering if I’d had them hemmed, plus I typically reach for a medium blue wash and these were more midnight/almost black in person.
23. MOTHER The Insider Ankle Bootcut Jeans
I generally think of Mother jeans as having the perfect amount of stretch and these were a little on the rigid side for everyday wear, plus I learned over the course of this experiment that I find a more pronounced kick flare at the bottom more flattering than a bootcut.
24. MOTHER The Scooter Ankle Jeans
I think these could be a flattering kick flare style on someone taller, but they would be more of a bootcut on me if I’d had them hemmed, making the first style on this list a better fit for me.
25. MOTHER The Hustler Flood Jeans
Could be a flattering bootcut style on someone taller and/or with more narrow hips.
26. MOTHER The Insider Ankle Jeans
Too subtle of a kick flare to be flattering on me once they were hemmed, plus I didn’t love the distressed stitching on the back label.
27. FRAME The Reboot High Waist Crop Flare Jeans
I wanted to love these based on the product photos, but at my height, hemming them would mean more of a bootcut shape than my preferred kick flare. If you’re taller than ~5’4”, I think these could be quite flattering!
28. AYR The Dynamo
A super stretchy slight flare that seems to have since been discontinued on AYR’s site.
Wide leg jeans I tried
Wide leg jeans are having a big moment right now — and I really believe I found the best wide leg jeans for petites that I decided to keep! — but I learned proportions are key here. I personally prefer a fittted waist that flares out into a wide leg vs. a pair that’s just too much fabric on someone my height.
29. DL1961 Karmine Refined High Waist Wide Leg Jeans
I had good luck with this brand for maternity jeans, but I found this pair less of a tapered wide leg like the name would suggest and more of a straight leg, which I consistently found a less flattering silhouette at my height (5’1”).
30. AGOLDE Ren High Rise Wide Leg Jeans
I prefer a more tapered look when it comes to wide leg jeans and these were just a lot of fabric all over, plus I found them much too rigid for me to wear comfortably for an extended period of time.
Slim / almost skinny jeans I tried
I also tried a couple of slimmer silhouettes that fall somewhere between skinny jeans and straight leg styles.
30. AYR The Swizzle
A very slim cut — not skintight at the ankle like a true skinny jean, but one of the most narrow leg openings I tried on. Would recommend sizing up if you like the look.
31. AYR The Legend
A high-rise straight leg that was still much too long on me even in the shorter inseam. If you’re on the taller side and prefer a slim leg, these could be a great pick!
Button fly jeans I tried
This list contains the only pairs of jeans I actually truly disliked. I see this style detail all over Instagram and TikTok so I know this could totally just be me, but after trying on 36 pairs of jeans, I learned I have a particular disdain for styles with a button fly that take longer to get on and off. Plus these styles had a more rigid feel across the board, but if that’s a look/feel you love, I would definitely recommend sizing up for the sake of comfort!
32. LEVI’S Wedgie Straight Jeans
I have friends who look incredible in Levi’s, but I have to say these were some of the least flattering jeans of the bunch on me. The 12.5” leg opening makes them some of the most fitted I tried on and the button fly is much more trouble than it’s worth in my opinion.
33. LEVI’S 501 90s Ankle Jeans
Too straight to be flattering (on me), too rigid to be comfortable, with a button fly I’d find annoying and impractical.
34. LEVI’S Ribcage Straight Ankle Jeans
These look super chic on other people but ultimately it’s just not the best style for my body type. I could barely get these on in regular size, so definitely order up if you love the look.
35. LEVI’S Ribcage Straight Ankle Jeans
Same note as for the first wash above — these look super chic on other people but ultimately it’s just not the best style for my body type. I could barely get these on in regular size, so definitely order up if you love the look.
FINAL TAKEAWAYS ON THE BEST WOMEN’S JEANS
Trying on 36 pairs of jeans was admittedly an extreme approach to finding a few favorite pairs, but the process ended up being surprisingly educational for me.
My biggest realization was that the style name on a product page isn’t nearly as helpful or consistent as just knowing the measurements I tend to favor. Terms like bootcut, straight leg, and flare can mean remarkably different things across brands, but the leg opening measurements I found most flattering were surprisingly consistent across different styles. A 16-17” leg opening for a cropped kick flare and at least 19” for a flattering wide leg — in a petite inseam or once hemmed to my ideal length — are my sweet spots.
I also realized how essential a bit of stretch is for everyday comfort. I’m past the point in my life where I’m willing to wear stylish but uncomfortable jeans that need to be unbuttoned the second I get back inside my house. I want jeans that are comfortable enough for all-day wear and in this phase of life with little kids, being able to sit, stand, and bend comfortably is non-negotiable.
While plenty of the 36 pairs I tried would likely look great on someone else, casting a wide net and slowly narrowing down my favorites really helped me identify the few pairs that truly felt like the one(s) for me. If you’re currently on your own search for the perfect pair of women’s jeans, I hope seeing the full range of what worked — and what didn’t! — on someone else makes your own process a little less of an ordeal.
And if nothing else, let this be your permission to order and return a few extra pairs and do your own try-on at home! It’s worth sifting through a few misses to find the pairs you feel great about putting on day in and day out. You can find photos, reviews, and measurements for all 36 pairs in one place right here if it’s helpful.